The official launch events will celebrate the formation of the orchestra as a Section 21 and the opening of their offices at the State Theatre building in Pretoria, facilitated by MIAGI through funding from the European Union.
The New Skool Orchestra will be performing on the 25th (today)at the Soweto Theatre and the following night, the 26th September at the Musaion, University of Pretoria.
These events are made possible by sponsorship from Lanxess. Thereafter the orchestra will embark on a tour to Rustenburg & Newcastle, funded by the Department of Arts and Culture.
“The orchestra seeks to bring forth a new wave of music that speaks of a current reality,” says orchestra director Tshepo Tsotetsi.
Seeking to be the musical voice of modern day South Africa, the orchestra was Tsotetsi’s brainchild. Tsotetsi is himself a multi-instrumentalist whose talent was nurtured and developed through MIAGI¹s mentorship.
New Skool Orchestra is a made up of a multicultural group of classical and jazz musicians and composers who incorporate their diverse backgrounds and
create a sound that is completely fresh.
The Orchestra incorporates instruments traditionally used for jazz, supported by classical strings, vocalists and indigenous instruments.
The programme, which includes titles such as Apples and Bananas Have Feelings Too, Soup in the Garden, Quickpick, and Realm of the Happy, to mention just a few, is not free of nostalgia with the young musicians paying tribute to the music of their musical fathers and mothers.
Over the past few years Tsotetsi has been involved in a number of collaborations with MIAGI and was inspired by the inventive ideas taking shape at the informal evenings of music and dance arranged at the MIAGI Youth Orchestra courses.
From these informal collaborations and rehearsals, The New Skool Orchestra was born. Incorporating a variety of musical genres, the New Skool Orchestra is less traditional in both its structure and musical content than the already-established MIAGI Youth Orchestra.
Tsotetsi is thrilled about the official formation of the orchestra and witnessing it come to life with such vigour. One of the most appealing facets of this orchestra’s mindset is the emphasis Tsotetsi puts on allowing young composers to have their works debuted.
“The orchestra offers a new and versatile playfield for the realisation of all kinds of creative ideas and undertakings,” says Tsotetsi.
Under the mentorship of the MIAGI programme, The New Skool Orchestra’s administration office is now managing and promoting its own brand, as well as promoting the talent of young composers and musicians.
The positive impact of a South African orchestra of young people representing all layers of the rainbow nation, performing together joyfully at a level that matches international standards cannot be overestimated.
This was seem on the MIAGI Youth Orchestra tour of Europe together with New Skool Orchestra, in July 2012 and due to the massive media and public success of that tour, the two orchestras will again embark on a tour of Europe together in 2014.
Thus, the launch of the New Skool Orchestra in conjunction with MIAGI will create positive awareness around the orchestra and its young musicians, not only nationally, but also internationally.
MIAGI will also contribute to the multi-cultural dimension of the New Skool Orchestra celebrations by including the work of Anders Paulsson, the world renowned Swedish soprano saxophonist that was a composer-in-residence for MIAGI this year within a MIAGI collaboration project with music institutions in Sweden, funded by the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria through Sida (Swedish international development cooperation agency).
Paulsson has composed works that will be premiered at the orchestra¹s launch and feature himself and a variety of other saxophonist soloists.
A place to learn and grow for all young musicians, New Skool Orchestra brings world-class entertainment to the public whilst continuing to nurture our country¹s young talent.
Tickets available at the door for a small fee!
